


Give you Hell

by Gracieus



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: A little angst, F/M, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Romantic Comedy, lost of music references, lots of fluff tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-05 05:58:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12788526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gracieus/pseuds/Gracieus
Summary: When Richie Tozier moves into the apartment across from Eddie’s, they nearly start a war. Richie keeps Eddie up at night and Eddie keeps Richie up in the morning. If only they got to know each other, they’d realize they’re actually not that different.Inspired by the song Give you Hell by the All-American Rejects





	1. Chapter 1

Eddie has always been a good neighbor, it was something he prided himself on. He knew everyone in his small apartment building. If someone needed a cat sitter, or someone to get the mail, or water the plants, Eddie was the first one they called. But, out of all his neighbors he was closest to Mrs Anderson who lived in the apartment opposite his. Every week, he would do her groceries and as a reward she’d make him tea and bake him cookies. He loved going over to Mrs Anderson who with her genuine motherly warmth reminded him somewhat of his own mother, although far less intrusive and manipulating. Perhaps she was what a mother was supposed to be like.

It is needless to say that Eddie was sad to see her go, and even more sad to see the apartment filled again less than a week later. To make matters worse the new tenant had a doormat that said ‘fuck off’ in decorative cursive letters. But, even then Eddie would have been able to give his new neighbor the benefit of the doubt if it hadn’t been for that damned party.

Eddie came home from a particular stressful day at work. He had just started his residency at the children’s hospital and he had yet to find his footing. His supervisor was kind enough and he loved working with the children, but it was the parents that continued to make his life hell. Instead of listening to their children or to him for that matter, they would rather list of all the possible things that Google said their children might be suffering from. Eddie was grateful that his mother did not have Google when he was young or he might have turned into an actual bubble boy.

Eddie was beat and what he really wanted was to eat his dinner, take a shower and go to sleep before his alarm would wake him again at 6AM. It was about 11PM when Eddie crawled into bed, feeling a little less like death, then the pounding started. At first, he was confused where the noise was coming from, he lived in a relatively quiet neighborhood, mostly families and elderly people, but then he realized it was coming from across the hall. It was getting louder too!

Eddie was a good neighbor, he was not the kind of neighbor that came over to complain about the smallest inconvenience. He was the kind of neighbor that would neatly fold and iron your laundry if he stumbled upon a full dryer, he was the kind of neighbor that painted over your children’s drawings in the hallway to keep them out of trouble, he certainly was not the kind of neighbor that complained over a little noise. Eddie kept telling himself this over and over again, while the pounding continued. There were voices now too, clearly drunk people that were singing along to rock music.

He felt a headache coming up and since it was already past midnight, he hadn’t slept a wink, and his neighbor clearly wasn’t going to quiet down on his own, Eddie grudgingly dragged himself out of bed. He took off his maroon pajamas and put on a pair of jeans and the white t-shirt he had been wearing before. He didn’t care too much about the way he looked right now, but just enough not to walk into a room full of people in his pajamas.

Eddie made his way across the apartment thinking to himself that he was going to be polite but firm. Getting into a fight with his neighbor was the last thing Eddie needed in his life right now, but he wasn’t going to let someone walk all over him either. He took a deep breath and left his apartment.

He immediately noticed that the party had spread to the hallway. The door to his neighbor’s apartment was open and _Paradise City_ from Guns ‘N Roses was blasting through the speakers. There were small groups of people in the hallway, loudly singing along to the song. A few raised their cup at him as if he was also at their party. Did they not have work in the morning?

“Who’s hosting this party?” He asked a girl with short red hair and dark eyeliner, she had been talking to a slender boy with curly hair and a neat shirt, they seemed to be the only people not completely wasted.

“You’re looking for Richie. I’ll take you to him.” She said and without asking she grabbed his arm and led him into the apartment. The inside of the apartment was even worse. Apparently, _Richie_ , his new neighbor, had not bothered to unpack, but he had bothered to set up a smoke machine, several colored flashing lights and an impressive sound system. The redhaired girl led him through the crowded dance floor and Eddie was sure he had felt at least two people grab for his ass.

The boy she had been leading him to was apparently also the DJ at the party. He was lanky and looked like a textbook punk except for a bulky pair of glasses. His ears were decorated with several piercings, he was wearing a faded band shirt with holes in it, and his black jeans were so tight Eddie was sure he needed a stick of butter to get in and out of them. The thought gave him flashbacks to time he had to free his mother from a garter that had “shrunk in the wash” and it was no longer the BO stench from the dancing crowd that turned his stomach.

“Richie, get over here!” The girl shouted over the music while she gestured wildly at the lanky boy. “It’s your neighbor!” Richie pressed a few buttons and discarded his headphones.

“Hello neighbor, I was wondering when you would join the party!” the DJ said and he drew Eddie into an unexpected hug. Eddie could smell that he had been smoking weed which made him want to get out of there even more.

“Listen-…” Eddie started, but Richie interrupted him.

“You look like you need a drink.” Before Eddie could protest, Richie had pressed a red solo cup in his hand with what seemed to be lukewarm beer. There was no way in hell Eddie was going to drink from it. He didn’t know where it had come from, there could be hundreds of germs in it, not to mention drugs judging from the crowd he was in.

A song started playing that Eddie didn’t recognized, but would later learn to be _Fever for the Flava_ by Hot Action Cop. Richie put his hands on his heart as if someone had given him a Rolex for Christmas. “This DJ is a genius!” He exclaimed and once more Eddie was dragged onto the dancefloor before he could protest.

“ _Do you think that I could get some, jiggy, jiggy_.” Richie sang, wiggling his eyebrows and fingergunning at Eddie. “ _Maybe just a little finger, sticky, sticky.”_ Eddie rolled his eyes at how the other boy who belted out the song and rocked his hips to the rhythm. He started to move along to the song too before he knew it. He felt a smile creep onto his face and he thought that those jeans actually did look pretty good on him.

The song started to accelerate and Richie’s movements became wilder, his curls dancing around his head. “She got the power of the hoochie, I got the fever for the flavor of the coochie.” He crooned and he grabbed Eddie’s hips to draw him close. The movement surprised Eddie and he spilled his nasty beer all over his shirt. He cursed and pushed Richie off him while he tried to estimate the damage that had been done.

“I’m sorry, man, just take it off and I’ll get you a clean one.” Richie offered, but half his words got lost in the music. Suddenly Eddie didn’t feel like they were having fun at all, suddenly he felt like he was being made fun off. Maybe this Richie had suspected something about him, maybe someone in the building had even told him about Eddie. That’s why he was pretending to be into him. Or maybe he was just doing it, so he wouldn’t complain about the music.

“’Turn the music down!” He told Richie, his voice quivering. “I’m going home and I want to sleep.”

“I’m sorry, man, really am, but it’s just a shirt. Here take mine.” Richie started to take off his shirt, but Eddie pushed him away again. He averted his eyes, his face bright red.  

“I want you to turn off the music and sent these people home. I have a job to get to, I need sleep, everyone in this building does.” Eddie said and before the other boy could answer, he stormed off. He didn’t even go to his apartment, but he rushed past it and headed for the elevator.

“Are you okay, man?” The curly haired boy asked who was still standing in the hallway. Eddie didn’t answer. He would go to his car and drive to Bill. He had a spare key and could crash there for the night, he would deal with all of this tomorrow.

But, when he got into his car, he sat down crying. Why had he let that boy dance with him like that? Like he was some kind of girl? And why had he liked it so much? He felt awful and dirty. In the end, he didn’t even make it to Bill’s but slept in his car instead.

 


	2. Chapter 2

That night, Eddie Kaspbrak learned that there are few things more uncomfortable than sleeping in a car. He felt like he had aged twenty years over night and expected every joint in his body to crack if he so much as stretched his legs. Not to mention the smell of rancid beer that clung to his shirt. The beverage had dried up in a piss colored stain that turned Eddie’s stomach. If his mother were to see him now, she would drag him back home and never let him leave the house again. He could practically hear her scream in his ear that he looked like a bum and that the city had a bad influence on him. It was no place for her delicate boy.

Eddie knew that getting out of the car would be no less painful in ten, twenty, or even sixty minutes, but at least he would have time to shower if he got out now. He groaned and reluctantly opened the car door. He placed one tentative foot on the concrete floor and could indeed hear a cracking sound coming from his joints. Eddie absolutely hated that noise and he winced. His mother had convinced him that cracking your joints would give you arthritis and even though he knew better after having been to medical school, the sound remained unsettling in his ears.

After practically dragging himself out of his car, Eddie made his way back upstairs to his apartment. He took the stairs and even though it hurt a little in the beginning, his body felt better with every step he took. Eddie felt a little better himself as well. Perhaps he had overreacted last night. Sure, it had been inconsiderate and at least a little rude from his neighbor to host a loud party on a week day, but he may have sent everyone home as soon as Eddie asked.

It had definitely not been something he should have cried over in his car, but he blamed that on sleep depravity. Perhaps Richie had gotten a little carried away, he had been stoned at the very least, but surely his dancing had not meant more than when Mike or Bill danced with him. Why should it? Eddie thought this over while he made his way upstairs and entered his hallway.

Even though Eddie had been more than willing to forgive Richie for what happened, he was now once more filled with rage. Clearly Richie had not sent his guests home, in fact, some were still here. There were a few people cuddled up in the hallway with blankets and pillows. One guy had even brought an air mattress which Eddie thought rather presumptuous although admittedly a little ingenious. He felt like he was back in his old dorm at college, and although he had fond memories of his university days, coming home to the aftermath of a wild party was not one of them.

Eddie had to step over a few people to get to the door which was rather hard as he was simultaneously trying to avoid the empty cups and party streamers that littered the hall. When opening his door, he inevitably bumped into the air mattress guy who had been blocking the entrance, but to his annoyance he continued snoring blissfully. As soon as he was in the safe surroundings of his own apartment, he slammed the door close for the first time that he lived there.

He was positively fuming. He couldn’t believe that he been willing to give this guy the benefit of the doubt when clearly, he didn’t care about any of his neighbors. Eddie was about ready to go over there and give him a piece of his mind, when his eyes fell on his stereo. Now Richie wasn’t the only one who had a love of music. Eddie’s sound system was the first big thing he had treated himself to after moving into this apartment. It was truly his pride and his joy.

Eddie hooked up his phone to the sound system and selected his party playlist. _It’s Raining Men_ by the Weather Girls was soon coming from the speakers, but not loud enough. If Eddie really wanted to piss off his neighbor, he had to go louder than he had ever allowed himself to go. Eddie was the kind of neighbor, who pops into the hallway to check if his music isn’t playing too loud. But today, he is going to be the kind of neighbor that plays _It’s Raining Men_ on nearly full volume at 5:30AM.

Eddie grins at himself, thinking that will surely get Richie’s attention. His neighbor was probably lying in bed trying to sleep off whatever poison he had pumped into his body and this was sure to cause a rude awakening.

Eddie took a long shower that was nearly as satisfactory as his imminent revenge. When he returned from the bathroom in a robe, his hair still wet, he heard a pounding at his door. It was almost impossible to hear over Katrina & the Waves’ _I’m Walking on Sunshine_.

He opened the door with an innocent look on his face and was greeted by a groggy and rather disorientated looking Richie. Richie was also quite undressed, wearing nothing more than navy briefs. Eddie tried to pretend he either had not noticed this or was entirely unbothered by it, but he could feel a stupid blush creep up his cheeks.

“Hello neighbor, I was wondering when you would join the party.” Eddie said, trying to regain control of the situation.

“Man, what the fuck… it’s 6AM.” Richie said, leaning against the doorpost and rubbing his right eye, pushing his glasses up his forehead.

“Oh you can’t sleep with me playing my music so loud? I wonder what that’s like.”

Richie squinted at Eddie, his glasses still on his forehead, when it finally seemed to dawn on him what was going on. Eddie thought he looked like a little puppy that had just been reprimanded for the first time. It would have been adorable if it wasn’t so annoying.

“I was just a little housewarming, it wasn’t that bad.”

“Not that bad? I slept in my car, because of you!” Eddie said, having absolutely none of it.

“I’m sorry,” Richie looked at the nameplate that was next to his door and then back at Eddie with a smile that was not unkind. “I really am, Eds, but, can you please turn the music of so I can get some sleep, my head is going to explode.”

“First of all, don’t call me that, it’s Eddie. Second of all, you should have thought of that when I asked you to turn it down and you didn’t.”

 “You didn’t ask, you just started yelling at me out of nowhere and then left. I thought we were having fun too.” Richie said, he was grinning now and leaning against the doorpost in a way that Eddie thought was far too comfortable for the situation. “You looked good though in your jeans and your white t-shirt, like a pocket-sized James Dean.”

Eddie had completely lost it at this point: he was spluttering and bright red. He didn’t know whether he was going to close the door in Richie’s face or leave through the fire exit, but in any case, he could not stand this situation any longer. A pocket-sized James Dean? What was he even talking about? Was he seriously comparing him to one of the biggest sex symbols in history?

“You-… I-… How-… Get out!” Eddie stuttered and he started shoving Richie out of his doorway and into the hallway. Richie was grinning like an idiot the whole time which pissed Eddie off even more. He had to be making fun of him, he didn’t really think he looked like James Dean, right?

“So, you’re really not going to turn that music off?” Richie asked one last time, seeming like he didn’t even mind anymore at this point.

“Over my dead body!” Eddie shouted dramatically, making Richie grin even more.

“In that case, I’ll see you at my party tonight, James Dean.” Richie winked before turning on his heels and disappearing in his own apartment.

“I don’t look like James Dean!” Eddie shouted after him. “And no parties!”

* * *

 

 As usual, Eddie was the first to show up at the lunch room. He had a soft spot for the restaurant with its distinct industrial chic design even if it was a little hipster-ish and maybe a little pricey. He greeted Amanda, their usual waitress, and sat down at an unoccupied table. He ordered a latte macchiato and waited for his friends while he absently picked at a crevice in the rustic wooden table.

He was anxious to see his friends. Eddie hadn’t been able to get Richie out of his mind his entire morning and he needed to vent to someone. He hoped that his friends could give him some advice on the situation and how to avoid an outright feud. Eddie just hoped they would take it more seriously than when he had complained about Richie’s inappropriate doormat which Bill had thought rather funny instead.

He was quickly joined by Mike who was right on time and then Bill who was five minutes late. Eddie was always a little envious of his friends. No matter where they went, they were always able to draw a few stares. As kids, they had bonded over being outsiders in their little town, but Bill and Mike had both become very handsome men. Mike had the brawn and the brains: years of working on the farm and playing football had left Mike buffer than most guys at Eddie’s gym; but he also possessed a sophisticated look that made him seem both intelligent and charming. Big Bill lived up to his name, standing a little taller than 6ft3. That combined with his sharp jawline and distinct red hair gave him a quaint attractiveness that was perhaps rather supermodel than sports illustrated, but handsome nevertheless.

Eddie believed he fell short compared to his friends, but part of him had always felt that way. As a kid, he had looked at Bill as if he hung the moon. Bill had made him feel as if he could do anything, and Eddie had always hoped to impress him. These feelings of adoration were only temporary, yet they always remained good friends, perhaps it had made them even closer. It was proof enough for Eddie that those feelings would always pass and there was no need to pay any real attention to them.

Amanda walked over to them to bring Eddie his latte and take their orders. When she left, Mike began to talk about a girl he met yesterday at a book signing. Her name had been Maria and they appeared to have a lot in common. She had given him her number and they were meeting up next Thursday for coffee. Bill talked about a new story he was writing. He was publishing regularly nowadays in magazines and online to the dismay of his college professor who had called his work pure and utter pulp. He was just talking about how a magazine on ornithology had picked up one of his stories which featured a prehistoric bird of some kind.

Eddie was really only half listening, while he sipped his latte and tapped his foot. Usually he was a good listener. He liked hearing about what his friends had been up to, but he couldn’t get his stupid neighbor out of his head. Luckily for him, Bill wrapped up his story as soon as Amanda brought them their lunch, and Eddie decided that was a good time to bring up Richie.

“I met my new neighbor yesterday.” He began tentatively, picking at his salad with his fork.

“The one with the funny-…” Bill closed his eyes for a second before continuing. “doormat.” He was working hard on controlling his stutter and he was slowly getting there. Sometimes Eddie forgets how bad it used to be, but then Bill gets drunk at a party and his stutter comes back at full force. He can hardly say a word without stuttering then, but now it’s barely noticeable. His therapist taught him a trick where he translates difficult words into French first, hence the occasionally pauses.

“It’s not funny, William.”

"Oh ooh breaking out full names, I see.” Mike grinned over his soup. Eddie sticks his tongue out at him, but Mike just shakes his head. Bill signs for Eddie to continue his story and he does. He explains all about the party and how Richie refused to turn down the music.

“I agree that it was pretty inconsiderate, but I don’t think he was making fun of you.” Mike said. “To be honest, it sounds like he’s into you.”

“Oh come on! He danced with me and called me James Dean!”

“It would work for me.” Bill grinned and Eddie turned bright red.

“It’s just… that’s… it’s just not for me, okay?”

Mike and Bill shared a meaningful look that didn’t go unnoticed by Eddie. He sank down in his chair a little, wishing he could disappear.

“Eddie, you know that if it _was_ for you, that would be okay too, right?” Bill asked, speaking slowly. Eddie turned looked away nervously, avoiding the two sets of eyes that were fixed on him.

“I know that of course.” He said quickly and from the corner of his eyes, he could see another shared look between Mike and Bill. Of course, he knew it was okay, just like he knew he wouldn’t get arthritis from cracking his joints, but those old fears were hard to shake.

“You think it’s okay for me, right?” Bill pressed on. “I’ve had boyfriends.”

Eddie looked back at Bill and felt ashamed of himself. He didn’t want Bill to think that he wanted him to be different in any possible way. He loved Bill and he had been nothing but happy whenever he told them about someone special in his life no matter their gender.

“Of course, Bill, I’m sorry if I made you feel any other way.” Eddie said and he squeezed Bill’s hands to emphasize his words. “It’s just easier to accept others.”

Mike placed his hand on top of Bill and Eddie’s and they shared a meaningful silence for a moment. All three of them, in their own unique way, knew how true those words were. In that moment, Eddie realized they all still thought of themselves as those losers from Derry from time to time.

“Now tell us more about your neighbor, James Dean.” Mike teased and Eddie rolled his eyes.

“If I’m James Dean then he is Buddy Holly.”

                       


	3. Chapter 3

It had been two days since he talked to Richie, and their feud had become somewhat of a rinse and repeat situation. Every night Richie would host a party and keep Eddie up, and every morning Eddie would blast music at the crack of dawn to get back at him. Bill had offered Eddie a place to stay several times, but he wasn’t going to let Richie put him out of his house. Mike had advised him to face the problem head on and confront Richie, but Eddie like that idea even less. He wasn’t going to give Richie the opportunity to gloat over him, and he knew he wouldn’t shut down the party anyway. The feud had escalated too much for either of them to back down easily at this point, and in a strange way, Eddie respected that about Richie. In that same strange way, Eddie found himself listening for certain songs in Richie’s playlist from time to time. He suspected that Richie deliberately added songs to his set that Eddie had played for him in the morning.

“Good morning, sir, how may I help you?” the barista asked with a strained smile, and she glanced nervously at the queue behind Eddie.  He usually tried to avoid the café at this hour, knowing how busy it could get, but his supervisor had caught him nodding off and ordered him to get some coffee. He realized that his supervisor had not been too impressed with his performance lately and he had to step up his game if he wanted to keep him on his good side. If this meant drinking regular coffee without cream or sugar, Eddie would just have to power through it.

Eddie tried to read the specials on the menu, but the letters continued to slip in and out of focus. He had the unsatisfying suspicion that he used to be able to handle sleep depravity better when he was in college. He ended up ordering a regular coffee and a bagel he had seen on display. He paid for his meal and sat down at one of the few empty tables.

 He resisted the urge to ask the barista to wipe down his table one extra time partially because he didn’t want to give into his germaphobia, partially because he feared she would bring out a reusable cleaning cloth and make everything worse. He rubbed his temples and tried to get rid of the intrusive thought that made him feel like he was back home in Derry.

Eddie picked at this bagel and drank his too bitter coffee, while he gazed around the room at the other costumers and listened to the radio. It was playing the song _Feels_ which Eddie only recognized, because it had been inescapable for a little while. The song ended and Eddie was thinking about getting up and finishing the rest of his bagel at the hospital when he recognized the radio DJ’s voice.

“It’s been out for a little while, but it’s still such a _banger_. Everything that Pharrell touches turns to gold.” the DJ announced, and he played a soundbite of Austin Powers’ _Goldmember_.

“Now let’s move on to some message from you guys.” He started to read out texts in a husky sensual voice accompanied by typewriter sounds. “Dear Richard, have you talked to Sexy Neighbor Nurse yet?”

“Well, dear reader.” He replied, in that same husky voice. “True romance takes time, and I’m sure I’ll soon be able to piss him off so much that he will _have_ to talk to me.”

Eddie had started fidgeting with the top button of his shirt as he listened to what was unmistakably his neighbor’s voice. He had grown quite accustomed to hearing Richie: no matter how many people came to his party, he could always distinguish him singing in the crowd. Hearing that same voice outside of the apartment building felt unsettlingly familiar and even a little intrusive. _And he had been talking about him as well._

There was no denying, as much as Eddie would have like it, that he was Sexy Neighbor Nurse. Richie had probably seen him come home in his scrubs one day and made the name up. But why had he done so? He didn’t have to talk about romance if he just wanted to feed his audience an interesting story, there feud was ridiculous enough as it was. And if he had wanted to share something about his love life, he could have picked literally anybody else, he could have picked a girl even! But, no, Richie had specifically been talking about him. It seemed nonsensical, even for Richie, that he was doing all of this to mess with Eddie. So, Eddie was forced to accept that if Richie talked about him in a romantic way, he thought about him in a romantic way.

He brought one hand to his face, feeling his flushed skin burn hotly against his palm. Slowly and almost unnoticeable, a smile crept onto his face and he tried to hide it behind the palm of his hand. Maybe Richie had hoped all his parties and even his radio show would get him Eddie’s attention in some misguided and Gatsby-esque way.

“Do you mind if we join your table? Everything else is-… Eddie!” Eddie looked up into the clear blue eyes of the redhaired girl he had met at Richie’s first party. Suddenly he noticed that he had undone the two top buttons of his shirt. He hurriedly closed them again, and he felt like he had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“You found out about Sexy Neighbor Nurse, didn’t you?” the curly haired boy asked not unkindly, but with a hint of a smirk on his lips. He sat down at Eddie’s table and crossed his legs in a fluid, graceful movement that left Eddie impressed.

Eddie was about to pretend he had no idea what the taller boy was hinting at when Richie’s voice sounded from the speaker to announce a song Sexy Neighbor Nurse had woken him up with. Eddie sank down in his chair, wishing the ground would swallow him up.

“Is he really talking about me?” He asked tentatively, his eyes fixed on the table, and without realizing it, he had started fidgeting with the top button again.

“Hasn’t talked about anything else for the past few days now.” The redhaired girl said, before introducing herself to him as “Beverly Marsh, just call me Bev.”

Eddie shook her hand and introduced himself. He noticed that she was wearing multiple silver-colored rings, some encrusted with teal colored stones that matched her eyes. She was a nice-looking girl, both in the sense that she was pretty and seemed kind. Eddie assumed she was dressed very fashionably although he knew next to nothing about women’s fashion.

He extended his hand to Beverly’s friend as well who introduced himself with a curt and business-like “Stanley Uris.” Eddie honestly thought the boy looked a little intimidating which was partially due to his poise and partially due to his clear-cut face and high cheekbones. “Nice to meet you.” Stan added with a smile which made his whole face light up. The spell was broken and Eddie no longer thought he looked aloof, in fact, he thought he looked rather dashing. He reminded him of boys he had encouraged Bill to pursuit in the past.

“First of all, I feel like we owe you an apologize. Richie shouldn’t keep you up at night like that, it’s very childish, and he definitely shouldn’t discuss your private affairs on the radio.” Beverly started. She was holding her teacup with both hands, her elbows resting on the table top, and the steam added something mystical to her elfish appearance.

Stan had retrieved a magazine from his bag with several colorful birds on the cover and he was leafing languidly through the pages. “I want to apologize as well. Richie is an idiot and he’s gone too far.” Stan said, without looking up. “We’ll put a stop to it and you’ll never have to hear from him again.”

“No.” Eddie’s voice sounded strained and a little squeaky. He looked at his hands which he had folded in his lap to avoid the two pair of eyes that were now fixed on him He had to restrain himself from fidgeting with the button again in fear of pulling it off his shirt altogether.

“No?” Stan asked, sharing a quick look with Beverly before moving closer to Eddie. “Why not? Doesn’t it bother you?”

“I mean, of course it bothers me. The partying needs to stop and I don’t know how to feel about the whole radio thing, _but_ …”

“But what?”

Eddie covered his burning face in his hands. He didn’t understand why he was having this conversation with two strangers. He needed to talk about this to Bill and Mike, he needed air! But, everything just came pouring out.

“I don’t know… does he really like me?”

Eddie looked at Bev and Stan through his fingers. Beverly had an expression on her face which Eddie usually associated with videos of kittens and puppies. Stan seemed to be hiding a grin behind his hand and shaking his head a little.

“Can’t believe Tozier did it. His head’s going to get even bigger after this.” Stan muttered before grimacing. Eddie suspected Beverly had kicked him under the table.

“Sweetheart, he’s crazy about you.” Bev said, before tilting her head a little and asking “Do you like him too?”

Eddie felt like his windpipe was closing up and he wished he still had his stupid inhaler. Placebo or not, it made short with his panic attacks for as long as he believed in it. He told himself to be calm and tried to focus on his breathing.

“I-I don’t know.” Eddie said shakenly. He couldn’t tell if he liked Richie, because he had never felt this way for anyone before. Even his childhood crush on Bill, which in hindsight he reckoned it had been, was nothing compared to this. He thought about what Bill and Mike had told him in the restaurant a few days ago. He wanted them to be happy with someone no matter the gender of their partner. So, why couldn’t he wish that happiness for himself?

He thought back at the radio show and how it had made him feel: how it had made his heart beat faster, his face flush, and how he had felt something in his stomach like fireworks. He thought of all those times he had listen to Richie’s music, wishing it would stop but at the same time hoping to hear his voice in the crowd. He thought of that first night when they had danced together and how handsome and carefree he had looked. He had been so happy to be a part of that, even if it had just been for a moment. Yes, happiness. He believed that he could be happy with Richie.

“I like him.” Eddie admitted finally.


	4. Chapter 4

            Eddie was a planner, or as Mike liked to call it, Eddie was a worrier. He didn’t like to jump into things: he liked to think them over first; compare the pros and cons; change his mind fifty times; and then usually cancel at the last moment. He wasn’t someone that jumped off cliffs into the water or went on road trips without a destination, yet he had done those things when Mike and Bill asked him to. It seemed that Beverly and Stan possessed that same persuasive power over him. They had convinced him that he would have to do something theatrical to draw Richie’s attention and somehow, he had found himself agreeing with them. Their plan to surprise Richie had seemed so reasonable back at the café, but as the party was approaching, Eddie felt that familiar tight knot in his stomach.

“You look great, stop worrying!” Beverly said and she swatted his hand away from the collar of his shirt.

 “You really think so?” Eddie asked with raised eyebrows as he looked at himself in his James Dean costume.

“Of course, I do. I dressed you!” Beverly said, playfully rolling her eyes at Eddie.

Eddie knew it was his own fault for telling Stan and Beverly that Richie called him James Dean once, but he could never have predicted it would inspire their master plan. He had only agreed to it, because the costume was plain enough that the reference would go unnoticed by everyone but Richie. He could only hope he would find it as charming as Beverly and Stan thought.

“He’ll love it.” Ben said, as if he had been reading Eddie’s mind, and he squeezed Eddie’s shoulder gently. He relaxed his muscles underneath Ben’s touch and smiled at him in the mirror. He was glad that Beverly had brought Ben along tonight. Mike, Bill, Bev and Stan’s excitement had only added to Eddie’s anxiousness and it was due to Ben that he was able to remain somewhat calm. He possessed a unique quality that made you believe things were going to be alright if he said they would.

 “Okay, I think I’m ready to show the others.” Eddie said with a curt nod in the direction of his reflection.

The three of them went back into Eddie’s living room where it looked like he was hosting his own party, even though the music was coming from across the hallway. Mike and his date Maria were looking through Eddie’s music collection. He was showing her a particular record he had given Eddie for Christmas. Eddie couldn’t hear what Mike was saying, but Maria was blushing and giggling a little. Stan and Bill were over at the couch and seemed to be engaged in a heated discussion. Stan was pointing to a page in his bird magazine and Eddie could make out the words “unrealistic” and “a bit much.” Bill’s stutter seemed to have somewhat resurfaced as he defended the story. Even though they were arguing, they were sitting close to each other and their knees were touching. In fact, it seemed as if both of them were struggling not to smile.

“Lady and Gentlemen, I present to you: Hollywood’s _Rebel Without a Cause_ : James Dean.” Beverly announced as she pushed Eddie forward into the room. Bill whistled as he looked Eddie over and he felt himself turn bright red.

“Kookie, kookie, lend me your comb.” Stan commented with a smile on his lips and he earned a few weird stares from everyone except for Bill who laughed heartily.

“I feel like I’m in _Grease_ all over again.” Eddie said and he touched his hair carefully as not to ruin Beverly’s hard work.

“Well, as long as you don’t throw up this time, I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Mike teased, making Bill laugh and Eddie groan and roll his eyes at the embarrassing middle school memory. He figured they would never let that go, but at least he was able to see the humour of it now. “But seriously, Eddie, you look great.”

“Yeah, and if he doesn’t appreciate it, the T-birds will rough him up for yah.” Bill said, pretending to comb his hair Danny Zuko style, making Eddie roll his eyes and groan even harder than he had done at Mike’s teasing.

“You’re such losers.” Eddie muttered, but there was a lot of love in that sentence. Bill and Mike pulled him into a hug and told him that they were his losers which made him smile like a sap even if he didn’t want to.

“Now go and get him, tiger,” Bill said, patting Eddie on the back. “and remember everything I taught you.”

“No, forget everything that Bill taught you. Remember what _I_ taught you.” Mike interjected. Maria and Beverly shared a look and laughed about something which alluded everyone else in the room.

Now there was nothing more that Eddie could do to delay his confrontation with Richie. He did bring up the possibility of being “fashionably late” but his suggestion was met with seven people yelling “just go!” at him. Eddie took a deep breath, and after casting one more glance at his friends, he left his apartment.

The hallway was already littered with party guests who might have tried to escape from the loud music _._ Richie was currently playing _Take on Me_ at full volume and everyone inside the apartment seemed to be scream-singing along. Eddie rejected the idea of hiding among the crowd in the hallway for an hour or two so he could avoid Richie, but he knew that his friends would find out.

Eddie powered through and he entered Richie’s apartment. He felt like his heart was beating at least as loudly as the booming bass from the speakers, and he was afraid he would soak his t-shirt before he even got to Richie.

He got a few looks from various boys and girls as he made his way across the room, but he believed most of them were appreciative. One girl even winked at him and he had to once more fight his desire to get out of Richie’s apartment and spend another night in his car.

Eddie found Richie at the sound system where he had met him that first day. He was leaning against the wall and mouthing the words lazily. His eyes seemed to scan the crowd, but he hadn’t seen Eddie yet. He took a moment to appreciate the way the light hit Richie’s cheekbones and how his full lips puckered around his o’s. Eddie’s palms were getting sweaty and it became a little hard to breathe in his leather jacket.

Richie’s eyes met Eddie’s and he felt like all the air left his body. Richie’s face lit up and he quickly pressed a few buttons before hopping off the DJ booth.

“Eddie!” He exclaimed and Eddie could feel Richie’s eyes looking him up and down in his outfit. Suddenly he had forgotten everything that either Mike or Bill had told him. He wasn’t even sure if he could talk at all.

“Tell me about it, stud.”

Eddie didn’t know why he had said that, maybe it had been because they were talking about _Grease_ just before he came here, or maybe it had been the way that Richie was looking at him. But in any case, he had never wanted to disappear into thin air so bad before. Richie, however, seemed ecstatic.

“James Dean ánd Olivia Newton-John? You must be my dream boy.” He said and Eddie was grateful that the disco lights hid his blush. “Did you dress up for me?”

“Well, I guess you pissed me off so much, I had to come and talk to you.” Eddie said, referencing Richie’s radio show. Richie’s smile wavered at that and he scratched the back of his neck.

“You heard about that, huh? I’m sorry about the radio show and the parties and everything, it just got out of hand.”

“I’m sorry too, I guess we both we’re kind of stupid.” Eddie admitted, and he took a huge breath before continuing. “But, since I’m here now and I’m all dressed up, why don’t we dance?”

“Are you sure you want to dance with me?”

“Yes, come dance with me, Buddy Holly!” Eddie said, feeling bolder already.

“Buddy Holly, right? I can dig that.” Richie smiled and he pushed his glasses up his nose with an exaggerated movement. “I’ve got a song for that too, meet me on the dance floor.”

Eddie did as he was told and as soon as he was back on the makeshift dancefloor, he could hear the first few notes of Wheezer’s _Buddy Holly_.

“Really?” He asked Richie when he joined him, but Richie just responded by spinning him around to the music. They danced and jumped and laughed, and Eddie hadn’t felt so free in a long time. He found himself singing along to the song as he watched Richie’s wild curls dance around his face.

“ _But you know I’m yours. And I know you’re mine. And that’s for all time_.”

When the song ended, Eddie was blushing so much that he didn’t think even the disco lights could hide it. He wondered if he was supposed to say something, but before he could figure it out, a new song had begun to play. The song started with an acoustic guitar and was a lot softer than Eddie had expected.

Richie put his hand on Eddie’s lower back and gently pulled him towards him. He took Eddie’s right hand in his and Eddie placed his free hand on Richie’s shoulder. He had never danced like that before and he was afraid that he would make an idiot out of himself. But before his worries could get the better of him, Richie started to softly sing along to the song in his ear and it was all Eddie could think about.

“ _Cradle me. I’ll cradle you. I’ll win your heart with a woop-a-woo. Pulling shapes just for your eyes. So, with toothpaste kisses and lines I’ll be yours and you’ll be mine.”_

Eddie felt goose bumps on his skin as Richie nearly whispered the words against his ear. His heart was beating so hard, he thought it might explode and all he could think about was how close Richie’s lips were to his. In that moment, there was no doubt what would happen. Eddie moved his head just a little, their lips brushing together, before they finally kissed. In that moment, everything just clicked together. He felt like he had watched the world through a window his whole life and now he was outside and the sun was shining down on him and nothing could hurt him ever again.

Eddie kept his eyes closed a little longer after the kiss had ended. He wanted to make sure that he would remember that moment just as it had been. When he did open his eyes, he noticed that Richie’s glasses had fogged up a little during their kiss which he found adorable for some reason.

Eddie gently pushed Richie’s glasses up his head and stood on his tiptoes so he could kiss him again. They stayed like that even after the song had ended and the next one had started. They stayed like that until the sun came up and Richie turned off the music and told his guests to leave. And even then, they stayed together, cuddling in Richie’s bed until they fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Eddie never sleeps in. It’s not that he doesn’t want to sleep in, there have been days when he would have gladly given an arm or a leg for a few more hours of sleep, but he always wakes up early and once he is awake there is no turning back. That doesn’t mean he is an early riser though. He loves to stay in bed a little while longer and hear the city come to life. This day was no different except for the fact that he didn’t wake up in his own room.

Richie was still sleeping next to Eddie or at least that’s what the soft and slow sounds of his breathing suggested. Eddie didn’t turn around to check, because he was too afraid that he would wake Richie and rob him off some desperately needed hours of sleep. So instead he let his eyes wander across the room to try and gain some insight in Richie Tozier.

Richie’s room looked like a record store and a movie theatre had a baby which was then adopted by someone who sold vintage clothing. The walls were covered in posters from bands, concerts, and movies. Eddie recognized a few of the classic rock bands, but there were a lot of band names and logos that he couldn’t place. Richie appeared to have a preference for the weird and the obscure anyway and the movie posters were mostly from bad horror movies that had gained cult status over the years. Eddie had seen almost all of them because of Bill, and he had to admit that he had developed somehow of a soft spot for B films, At least they had that in common.

There was a closet opposite the bed which held a record player and was filled to the brim with vinyl. Richie seemed to have sorted them by color instead of alphabetically which was impractical but oddly charming. It meant that he knew the records well enough to find them that way. Eddie imagined that Richie was the kind of prick who’d tell you that you have to listen to the whole album in one sitting to really appreciate the story. He had to admit that, yeah, he was that kind of prick too.

Next to the closet was a clothing rack that seemed to burst with color. Eddie could already spot several leather jackets full with pins and studs, jean jackets with patches onto them, a neon windbreaker, and several hawaii shirts. He thought it would be nice to see Richie in one of those instead of the black and white band shirts. He imagined him strutting through the streets dressed in colorful, mismatched outfits and making it work through cheer confidence.

Eddie smiled at the life he imagined Richie lived: a life filled with music; late-night screenings of films; popcorn and midnight pizza; thrift stores and crazy patterns; road trips without destination; shouting you love someone into the night; and jumping off cliffs into the water. In his heart, he already imagined himself doing this with Richie. He imagined a life where he could be proud of who he was, a life of us against the world and winning for a change.

He thought all this as he pulled the blanket up a little higher and inhaled Richie’s scent. Eddie heard some mumbling behind him and he figured shifting the blanket had woken Richie up. He was about the apologize when he felt an arm sneak around his waist and pull him flush against Richie. Eddie closed his eyes contently when Richie nuzzled his neck and placed soft kisses on his skin.

“G’morning” Richie’s voice still sounded hoarse and it made Eddie shiver and press up against him a little harder. “Are you cold, babe?” Eddie nodded and let Richie turn him around in his arms so they were now face-to-face. Richie wrapped his arms around Eddie and even one leg as he tried to rub him warm. It made Eddie heat up sure enough as he nested his face in Richie’s chest. He could still smell a hint of last night’s cologne on Richie and inhaled deeply.

“How long have you been up for?” Richie asked, resting his chin on Eddie’s head.

“About half an hour.”

Richie reached for his glasses which were on the nightstand on Eddie side, apologized when he nearly elbowed Eddie in the face, and put them back on. He looked away while he pushed them up his nose, avoiding Eddie’s eyes. Eddie noticed for the first time how thick Richie’s glasses where and he figured his prescription must be pretty bad. It was strangely comforting to think that even a cool guy like Richie had something he was insecure about.

“Fuck, I forgot how good you look.” Richie said, tangling his fingers in Eddie’s hair.

“Shut up.” Eddie said, burying his face in Richie’s chest. “My hair is a mess and I probably have the worst morning breath in the world right now.”

“Don’t worry, Eds, I love the smell of beer and vodka in the morning.” Eddie groaned into Richie’s chest while Richie laughed at his own joke. “I’ll go make us some breakfast and you can do whatever you need to do. You can take my toothbrush and a clean shirt if you like. _Mí casa es su casa_.”

With that said, Richie let go off Eddie and left him alone in the cold bed. Eddie watched him walk away and bent over to grab some clothes of a chair. Eddie’s eyes shifted to Richie’s briefs for a moment. He quickly looked away and mentally slapped his wrist. What if Richie had seen him looking at him like that? He would think that he was some kind of pervert, that he was eyeing him up like-…

_No, he wouldn’t._ The all too familiar train of thought came to a screeching halt. Eddie wondered not for the first time this week, why he was still thinking like this when he really knew better. Richie and he had spent all of last night kissing and had then fallen asleep in each other’s arms. Why would Richie think it was weird if Eddie was attracted to him? At this point, it would be weirder for Richie to find out that Eddie wasn’t attracted to him.

So, Eddie found himself looking back at Richie and the way the thin fabric of his briefs pulled over his pert ass. He gripped the sheets and bit his bottom lip as he looked at him. Of course, that was the moment Richie found a clean enough shirt and turned around. He smirked when he saw the look on Eddie’s face and slapped his ass.

“So, what’s the doctor’s verdict?”

Eddie’s first thought was to lie and pretend that he wasn’t looking, but his second thought persuaded him to keep going. He tried to regain some of the boldness that had gotten him through yesterday night and into this bed.

“I think I need to have a closer look, maybe pull those briefs off.” Eddie said, and he saw a glint in Richie’s eyes as he turned his body towards Eddie a little more. Eddie thought he might have bitten off a little more than he could chew at the moment, so he added a sheepish: “But, maybe some breakfast first.”

Richie smiled and looked away before pulling the shirt over his head. Eddie felt a knot in his stomach at the thought of having lead Richie on for a moment, but Richie seemed to bounce back in no time.

“Let’s get some breakfast for the docteh, stat! Chip-chip off to the kitchen!” He said dramatically in a British accent. Eddie smiled and shook his head as Richie marched off to the kitchen while whistling _God Save the Queen_.

Eddie got out of bed as well and took one of Richie’s shirts with him to the bathroom. He went through his morning routine as usual: he relieved himself; took a shower; brushed his hair and then his teeth. Richie didn’t own a hair brush so Eddie had to improvise somewhat with his hands. He didn’t get his side-part exactly the way he liked it, but he was at least glad that he had gotten rid off all the product that Beverly put into it.

Eddie changed into the shirt which he had picked out. It was a pink hawaii shirt with yellow flowers that had caught Eddie’s eyes when he was looking around the room. He picked it because it was colorful and seemed large enough to cover his underwear. He appears to have been right. It took him a while to decide whether or not he wanted to button it up all the way or not and eventually he decided to leave it.

He left the bathroom, tugging at the hem of the shirt, and was greeted by the smell of eggs and bacon. His stomach grumbled and he made his way over to Richie a little more greedily than he had intended.

“That smells really good.” Eddie said, very much aware of the fact that he was eyeing their breakfast as if he hadn’t eaten in days. “Do you want me to set the table?”

“Sure, plates are in the top cupboard over there.”

Eddie walked over to the cupboard and had to get on his tiptoes to open it. He didn’t see any plates, however, just mugs and some cups. He looked back at Richie in confusion when he saw the dirty grin on his face and he noticed that his shirt had ridden up and exposed his own briefs.

“You tricked me!” Eddie said and he lightly shoved Richie who just laughed.

“I can’t believe you fell for that.” Richie grinned. “But then again, you’re here with me, so you must fall for stupid things all the time.” Eddie rolled his eyes at the comment, but he couldn’t hide his smile completely.

Richie helped him find plates and cutlery, and they sat down on the couch to eat their breakfast. Richie had made coffee as well which almost looked as good to Eddie as his bacon, almost. After a few comments about the food, they settled into a comfortable silence. It seemed that the only time Richie was able to shut up was when he had food in his mouth.

Eddie looked at his half-eaten smiley face made out of fried eggs and bacon and suddenly he wondered how many people had sat down on this couch next to Richie and done the exact same thing. Richie had been the first guy he had ever kissed, and if this were to go further he would be the first person he ever dated. He was certain that Richie had had other partners before him, so this might not mean that much to him. It would be unfair to put the pressure on him of being Eddie’s first, well, first everything really when he might just be looking for something casual.

“What’s wrong? You don’t like the eggs?” Richie asked. Eddie noticed that he had been staring at his plate with a frown on his face, and he quickly looked up to meet Richie’s eyes. Richie looked genuinely worried even if he was joking about the quality of the breakfast.

“No, they’re great.” Eddie assured him and when he continued speaking he choose his words very carefully. “I’ve just never done this.”

“Eat breakfast? Maybe if you kept the music down, you would have more of an appetite.” Richie joked, but he was bouncing his leg and his eyes were searching Eddie’s.

“You know what I mean…” Eddie said, keeping his eyes fixed on his plate as he stabbed at his breakfast. “I’m… I’m a virgin.”

“You’re kidding? Look at you! I’m sure you have boys and girls lining up around the block to sleep with you.” Richie said, but his smile fell when he saw the pained look on Eddie’s face. “Wow, you really are serious.”

“I know it’s stupid, but I grew up in a small shitty town where being gay would get you your ass kicked or much, much worse. So, I tried really hard to not be gay.”

Eddie look at Richie defiantly, challenging him to laugh at him again, but he didn’t. In fact, Richie said nothing. His leg had stopped bouncing, but his hands were clenching his cutlery so hard that his knuckles turned white. And when he looked back at Richie’s face, he thought he saw a small scar above his lip.

“And then I stopped trying when I met you.”

Richie snapped out of whatever painful memory was holding him prison. His eyes met Eddie’s and he frowned a little.

“You did?”

“Yes, and I know that’s a lot to put on a person and I’m really sorry.” Eddie said and he felt actual tears stinging his eyes. “If you want us to go back to just being neigbors that’s completely understandable. I won’t ever bother you again, I won’t even turn the stereo on.”

“No, I don’t want that.” Richie said, and he put the plates away before pulling Eddie into his arms. “Eds, I don’t care that you’re a virgin, I honestly don’t. I _like_ you. I like that you’re sassy and spunky, and don’t let me get away with my shit. I like your button-ups and your freckles. _Hell_ , I even like your corny taste in music.”

Even though a few tears were making their way down Eddie’s cheeks, hes laughed at that stab at his music taste. Richie held him a little closer and pressed a kiss on his forehead. He rested his chin on Eddie’s head while Eddie buried his face in Richie’s chest and inhaled his scent.

“I’ve never done this either, you know?” Richie said, wetting his lips before continuing. “Or do you think I talk about every cute guy I meet on the radio?”

“I guess not.” Eddie said, wiping the tears from his cheeks with the heel of his hands. His breathing was still a little unsteady, but he had stopping crying for the most part at least. He hated that he was so emotional, but he figured that he had bottled everything up for too long already.

“Definitely not, you’re the one and only, Spaghetti Man.”

“What did you just call me?” Eddie said, wrinkling his nose and he stopped crying in the confusion.

“Spaghetti Man! Like, Eddie Spaghetti, you know?”

“Don’t ever call me that again.”

“Should I stick with Eds or do you hate that too?”

“Definitely hate it.”

Richie threw his head back and laughed, and Eddie found himself smiling at how dumb they were being.

“So, what can I call you then? _Baby? Babe? Princess? Lover? Sugar? Honey?_ ” Richie said, punctuating every nickname by pressing kisses across Eddie’s face, before whispering in a low voice. “Daddy?”

“Gross!” Eddie shouted and he shoved Richie, but soon enough they were both laughing again. He felt like all his worries were just rolling off him, and in that moment, he felt invincible. When they were done laughing, Eddie managed to say in a semi-serious voice: “I prefer Eddie, but you can call me anytime.”

“Does that mean I get to take you on a proper date?” Richie asked, tangling his fingers in Eddie’s hair. “Because, the drive-in theatre is showing _Grease_ tonight and I thought that might be perfect.”

“Are you serious?” Eddie asked, shaking his head before giving in with a dramatic sigh. “Fine, after all you are the one that I want.”

Richie gave his best Danny Zuko impression by shouting “Eddie!” in the way that he shouts Sandy’s name, but half of it got lost when Eddie pressed a deep kiss on his lips. Their teeth knocked together and they both laughed against each other’s mouths.

Richie pulled Eddie on his lap, his knees on either side of Richie’s hips, and drew him into a kiss. Eddie licked into Richie’s mouth while he tangled his fingers in Richie’s hair and tugged a little. Richie moaned into the kiss while his hands roamed across Eddie’s back.

Eddie felt a little breathless when they stopped kissing. His lips were still buzzing and his cheeks were flushed. His heart was racing and his blood was flowing elsewhere. He traced the freckles on Richie’s cheeks and tried to memorize every one of them.

Eddie always thought that he knew himself very well: he was someone who liked rules and planning; someone that liked to play it safe; someone who might waste their life on the side-lines. But, that wasn’t who he wanted to be. When he looked at Richie, he knew exactly who he wanted to be. He wanted adventure, romance, and spontaneity, and he only had to reach out to get it.

“I’m so fucking gay.” Eddie sighed, and they kissed again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thanks to everyone who read this story, and especially those who left kudos and comments. I've had a lot of fun writing this and it was amazing to see how much you guys enjoyed it. <33


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